February 3, 2026
There’s No Place Like Tassajara

Sessei Meg McNeil, Tassajara’s Tanto (Head of Practice), and Ashley Ng, Tassajara’s Director. Photo by Jennie Li.

 

There’s no place like Tassajara.

I first drove over the road and entered this deep valley more than 30 years ago, just as I was making big decisions about life, called by the sense that there was something important to understand, something that the world as I knew it wasn’t addressing.

What I discovered was a profound and beautiful practice pointing directly to that longing: the question of who we are, what’s happening here really, and how to be a true human being in a world of suffering and change. And so I stayed, and I keep coming back.

This summer, we’re welcoming students to join the Tassajara community for residential practice and work. If something here speaks to you, I encourage you to consider applying.

The place itself is extraordinary: a narrow valley in the heart of the Ventana Wilderness, right on Tassajara Creek, with natural hot spring baths, a full-length swimming pool, plenty of hiking trails, and some of the darkest, starriest skies you’ll ever see. But beyond the physical location, Tassajara embodies depth of practice, stability of tradition, and the power of community.

All the layers of life here—the wake-up bell rung by a student running through the valley in the early morning dark, the chanting after morning meditation, the gathering at work circle, the sounding of the great bell at the close of night—are continuously calling us to be here, be awake, be fully alive together in the miracle of this moment.

Maybe you are in transition and wondering what’s really important. Maybe you’re opening to new possibilities after years of work or caring for family. Maybe you’re longing for a season of simplicity, time in nature, and the chance to develop a regular meditation practice. Wherever you are in your life, Tassajara is here for you.

Coming for the full summer, if you can, gives you time to truly arrive. The regular practices of sitting, ceremony, Dharma talks and study, and caring for the temple begin to shape you in ways you may not fully see at first, but that will stay with you as you take the experience back into your life. A summer here may also become the gateway to further practice, as through this time of service you can receive credits for practice periods at SFZC temples.

As I write this from the cold quiet of winter at Tassajara, the creek is flowing strongly and the tree branches are bare against a pale sky. But already the daffodils are emerging.

If you feel inspired by this invitation, please listen. We look forward to practicing with you this summer.

Wishing you well,

Sessei Meg McNeil, Tanto (Head of Practice)
Tassajara Zen Mountain Center

There is no cost to participate in the Summer Program. All vegetarian meals and housing are included. Longer-term stays and early applications receive priority in both acceptance and housing.

 

Features, For Mary Watson

Remembering Mary Watson

I want to invite us to be with Mary's spirit, because she really embodied compassion. When Blanche gave her the precepts, she gave her the name, Eyes of Compassion, Nurturing Teacher, and that's what Mary was.